Mississauga Landscaping Contractor · Reformity Inc.Landscaping & Grading in Mississauga
Mississauga yards run from flat lots in Churchill Meadows and Lisgar to sloped, tree-heavy properties in Lorne Park, Mineola and Erindale that fall toward the Credit River valley or a creek ravine. On sloped lots, the retaining wall is usually the decision that matters: the City's Lot Grading By-law treats a wall over 0.6 m as construction that needs an approved grading and drainage plan, certified by an engineer or Ontario Land Surveyor, before work starts. We design walls, steps and planting around that threshold and the lot's existing drainage.
Landscaping · real projects
Recent landscaping jobs across the GTA.
Real Reformity jobs from our project files. Customer addresses are never published.
Landscape & grading plan — Grading, drainage swale, tree protection and planting. Click to enlarge.
Retaining wall details
Drawn before we build
Drawn before we build in Mississauga.
A grading and landscape plan: slopes away from the house, swales, downspout outlets, protected-tree zones, walls and planting. It's what site-alteration and tree permits ask for, and it keeps water off your foundation and your neighbour's.
Landscaping permits in Mississauga
Landscaping and retaining walls under 1 m need no building permit in Mississauga, but a retaining wall over 0.6 m needs an approved grading and drainage plan under the Lot Grading By-law; Reformity prepares the landscape drawings and coordinates the engineer- or surveyor-certified grading plan.
- Dimensions to your lot lines
- Materials, sizes and spacing
- Footing and base sections
- Code notes for the inspector
City of Mississauga rules
Landscaping rules in Mississauga.
Checked against official municipal and provincial sources. Lots differ, so we confirm the rules for your address at the quote visit.
Private trees
Mississauga protects private trees 15 cm (6") or more in diameter — including dead ones. A permit is needed to remove or injure them, which is a lower threshold than most GTA cities.
City of Mississauga: tree permitsConservation areas
Most of Mississauga is in the Credit Valley Conservation watershed; work near the Credit River valley and its creeks may need CVC approval.
Credit Valley ConservationSite alteration & grading
Lot Grading By-law 0172-2020 requires an approved grading and drainage plan, certified by an engineer or Ontario Land Surveyor, plus City deposits, before you build a retaining wall over 0.6 m, an in-ground or on-ground pool, a basement walkout or a side-door entrance. It also bars altering a lot's grading and drainage without the required approval, so we confirm with the City before any significant regrade.
Lot Grading By-law 0172-2020 (PDF)Front-yard paving
For a detached home, Mississauga's Zoning By-law requires at least 40% of the front or exterior side yard that holds the driveway to stay soft landscaping in RL (large-lot) zones, and 30% in RS (small-lot) zones. Driveways, walkways and interlock don't count as soft landscaping, and you can only park on the driveway or in the garage, not on the lawn.
Zoning By-law Table 4.2.1 (PDF)Yard drainage
Mississauga's Property Standards By-law lets a downspout skip the storm sewer only if it discharges at least 3 ft (about 0.9 m) from the house and keeps the water on your property. Sump pumps must discharge at least 3 ft from the house and away from neighbouring lots, and low spots that collect water must be filled and graded to drain to a storm sewer or ditch.
Property Standards By-law 0654-1998 (PDF)Retaining walls over 1 m
Under Ontario's Building Code, a retaining wall needs a building permit when its exposed height is over 1 m (3'3") and it's next to public property, access to a building, or private property open to the public. Those walls must be designed to the Code's structural (Part 4) rules.
Ontario Building Code, Div. A 1.3.3.5
What we build in Mississauga
Full-service landscaping.
- Sod Installation
- Garden Beds & Plantings
- Retaining Walls
- Drainage & Grading
Neighbourhoods
Landscaping across Mississauga.
- Port Credit
- Lorne Park
- Clarkson
- Mineola
- Streetsville
- Meadowvale
- Erin Mills
- Churchill Meadows
- Cooksville
- Lisgar
- Malton
- Applewood
Mississauga Landscaping FAQ
Quick answers.
Under the Property Standards By-law, a downspout that isn't connected to the storm sewer has to discharge at least 3 ft (about 0.9 m) from the house and keep the water on your property, and a sump pump has to discharge at least 3 ft out and away from neighbouring lots. Low spots that hold water must be filled and graded to drain. We set grades and outlets to meet both.
Lot Grading By-law 0172-2020 requires an approved grading and drainage plan, certified by an engineer or Ontario Land Surveyor, plus City deposits, before you build a retaining wall over 0.6 m, an in-ground or on-ground pool, a basement walkout or a side-door entrance. It also bars altering a lot's grading and drainage without the required approval, so we confirm with the City before any significant regrade.
Mississauga protects private trees 15 cm (6") or more in diameter — including dead ones. A permit is needed to remove or injure them, which is a lower threshold than most GTA cities.
Send the form on this page or call 437-241-6287. We reply within one business day, visit your Mississauga property to measure and check the City of Mississauga rules for your lot, and give you a fixed written price.
Free on-site quote
Planning landscaping in Mississauga?
We'll measure, check the City of Mississauga rules for your lot, draw it up and give you a fixed written price. One business-day reply.